Can delivery mechanism



July 4, 1933. c. -M. SPERAZZ 1,916,445

CAN DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l gnvento'a y 1933- c. M. SPERAZZ 1,916,445

CAN DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIHII.

grvuentoo 147185 MS wmzz July 4, 1933. Q My SPERAZZ 1,916,445

CAN DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 4, 1933. c. M SPERAZZ 1,916,445

CAN DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 (MAW/ M,

Patented July 74, 1933 pairs c stares PATENT caries CHARLES M. SPER'AZZ, OF BUFFALO, .NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR ONE-HALF TO JOHN KPH" MGKINLEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YOEK CAN DELIVERY MECHANISM' Application filed March 6, 192 Serial No. 344,824.

This invention relates to a delivery'mecha nism which is particularly intended for use in connection with a milk cancleaiiing machine tor-the purpose of delivering the cans in an upright position and with their covers.

The invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement ofthe various parts utilized in the performance of the several operations, the principal ob ect being to obtain simplicity in construction and operation.

A further object is to provide a mechanism in which the moving parts are positively operated in timed relation with the cleaning machine whereby the mechanism is always conditioned to receive a-can and cover at the time they are discharged by the cleaning machine. 7 l

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a side elevation 01" the delivery mechanism showing the parts as they ap pear immediately after a can and cover have been received by the delivery mechanism. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the mechanism after it has been operated to place'the can in an upright position and to move the cover to an eleva'tec position. Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section showing the mechanism after it has been operated to move the upright can forward to a point where it receives its cover, this being the position in which the mechanism is'conditioned to' receive another can and corre- 5 sponds to Figure 1. s

Figure t is a section along line l lof Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view. Figure 6 is a. section alongline 66 of Fig. 1.

The delivery mechanism is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in connection with the discharge end of a cleaning machine, the latter being shown to a sufiicient extent by the broken lines indicated at 0., As is Well known. the cans are ordinarily passed through a cleaning machine in an inverted position to facilitate drainage and are'successively discharged into the delivery-mechanism, simultaneously with their covers, the latter being discharged vertically sidewise in the arrangement herein shown.

The delivery mechanism,,upon receiving a can and cover, turns the can to an upright position and, at the same time, moves the cover to an elevated guideway in which it is returned to its proper, horizontalposition' and heldin readiness for placement upon the can. 7 another can and cover, thecan previously As the mechanism moves to receive uprighted is thereby moved to a position under one end of the-elevated guideway durmg which movement the elevatedcover is automatically"released and thereby permitted to slide and dropupon the mouth of the can. a 1 v The delivery mechanism, as shown, is mounted upon a base or table T which may be of anysuitableconstruction. The means i accorded by the mechanism for receiving the can and turning it to an upright position, in cludes a cradle G which is arranged at one end of the table T-adjacent the delivery end of the cleaning machine. The cradle .0 consists of a semicircular side wall portion ,1 for engaging the side walls of the can, and a fiat bottom portion 2 for engaging the mouth of the can. The cradle is arranged between oppositely disposed curved trackways, guides or guide means 3 for oscillatory movement between two positions in one of which it is adapted to receivethe can as the same is slidingly moved from the cleaning machine and in the other of which it is adapted to drop the can in an upright position upon the base or table T. To this end, the side wall 1 of the cradle is provided with a pair of bars 4 which are spaced apart and arranged transversely to the plane of the oscillatory movement, the opposite ends of each bar extending into the curved trackways or guides 3 and carrying a roller 4 for engagement therewith. The curved trackways or guide means 3 preferably are formed by circular channels which are secured to suitable side frame 5, the latter being suitably supported on the table T. At the time the cleaning machine delivers a can to the cradle C, it also delivers the cover for that particular can, the cover being reoeived within the trough provided by a Ushaped member 6. The member 6 is, of course, arranged for movement from the cover receiving position to an elevated position at which it discharges the cover into an elevated guide or guideway indicated generally at G, the movement, in this particular embodiment, being effected by the cradle C. To this end,-themember 6 is pivotally mounted upon an arm 7 which extends from, and is secured to, the cradle, It is evident from this construction, that the'bottom of the member 6 must be maintained substantially in a horizontal plane during its movement to the cover discharging position in order to insure the retention of the cover until the discharging position is reached. This is accomplished by the provision of a curved bar 8 which is arranged to extend along the path of movement of the member 6, the opposite ends of the bar 8 being suitably secured to fixed parts of the mechanism. The curved bar 8 carries a slidable element 9 which ispivotally connected to the member 6, the bar 8 being so curved as to prevent any relative movement between the pivotal connections afforded by the arm 7 and the element 9 respectively with the member 6. In other words, the bar 8 is curved in such manner that it maintains the alignment of the pivotal connections mentioned during the movement of the member 6. I In order to dischar e the cover from the member 6 when the discharging position is reached, the member 6 is provided with a downwardly projecting arm 10 which is pivotally mounted on the bottom of the member. This arm carries a curved extension 10?; arranged within the member 6 and upon which the cover rests. WVhen the discharging position is reached, the arm 10 strikes an adjustable screw 11 carried on the side frame of the delivery mechanism and thereby Swings about its pivot causing the extension 10a to propel the cover into the elevated guideway G.

The elevated guideway G is composed of a flat bottom member 12 and side rods 13 which are suitably supported on the side frames 5 and arranged to delimit a downwardly sloped passageway for the cover. The passageway, thus delimited, is also turned inwardly to direct the cover over the pathof the canand position it in advance of the position in which the can is discharged by the cradle C. The cover is initially received in avertical sidewise position and, in order to turn it to the proper horizontal position, one of the uppermost side rods 13 is arranged to extend over the passageway so as to direct the cover to such horizontal position, it being noted that the passageway increases in width to accommodate the cover when so turned.

The movement of the cover from the passageway is controlled by a vertically movable member or gate 14 which normally extends across the mouth or end of the passageway. The member or gate 14 is mounted on a cross bar 15 which, in turn, is carried by two upright sleeves 16 disposed along opposite sides of the mechanism, the sleeves being slidably mounted on the fixed uprights 17. The upward movement of the sleeves 16 will, of course. cause the member or ate 14 to move upwardly away from the discharge end of the cover pasageway thereby permitting the cover to'slide upon the mouth of the corresponding can, the cover being directed in this movement by guide plates 18 which are secured to the cross bar 15.

The upward cover releasing movement of the sleeve 16 is preferably controlled through the means utilized for effecting the movement of the corresponding upright can from the point at which it was discharged by the cradle to the point at which it receives the cover. Such means includes a flat member 19 extending adjacent the under surface of the table T and provided with lateral sides which project upwardly between longitndinal openings in the table T. The lateral sides 20 are arranged to provide cam surfaces 21 which, upon a forward movement of the member 19, are adapted to engage rollers 16c carried by the cover releasing sleeves 16,

and thereby effect the release of the cover.

The sides 20 also carry rollers 22 which travel in suitable longitudinal channels provided by said table T along opposite sides thereof. The member 19 carries on its upper surface, suitable lu 's 23 which extend into longitudinal openings of the table T and which carry pivotally mounted dogs 24. The dogs 24 are arranged to have their forward ends normallyexteud above the upper surface of the table T whereby they are adapted upon a forward movement to engage and move a can and, upon a rearward movement, to pass under the can without moving the same. The member 19'and associated parts maybe designated as reciprocating means and are preferably moved or reciprocated in timed relation with the cradle C and its associatedpa'rts and this member is, therefore, connected to the cradle through. a pivotally mounted connecting rod 25.

moved toward the can discharging position. The can discharged by the cradle during such movement drops upon the upper surface of the table T andcover the dogs 24 carried by the member 19.

The member 19 is, therefore, moved rearwardly when the cradle is the dogs 24 and alsomoved iorward.

As the cradle returnsto the can receiving position, the member .19 moves forward and the cover, the release being etl'ected when the the can reaches the end of the forward movement. The cover is thus free to slide from the guideway G upon the mouth of the can.

The mechanism may be connected at any suitable point to any suitable driving means. In the embodiment shown, the member 19 is connected. through a link 26 and lever 27 to a shaft 28 which is adapted to be oscillated by suitable driving means, (not shown) through a lever 29 and connecting rod 30. Thus by suitably reciprocating the connecting rod 30, the member 19 is moved back and forth along the table T causing the cradle C,

to be oscillated between can receiving and discharging positions, and the cover holding member 6 to be moved between cover receiving and discharging positions. In order to insure the proper time relation between the cleaning machine and this mechanism, the connecting rod 80, should be operated from the cleaning machine.

It will be readily understood that the mechanism herein shown while particularly intended for reversing the position of a milk can, is, nevertheless, generally useful for reversing the position of other articles or bodies. The word can is, therefore, used inthe claims merely for the sake of clearness and is not intended as a limitation upon the claims.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle, curved .trackways, means connecting said cradle to said trachways for movement along the .same,

and means for moving said cradle, said trackways being curved so as to turn the cradle from one position to a substantially inverted position and said cradle being adapted to receive. a can in said first mentioned position and to discharge said can in said inverted p0- sition.

2. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle. parts disposed at opposite sides of said cradle and formed with circular channels, means connecting said cradle to said circular channels for angular movement along the same. and means for angularly moving said cradle from one position to a substantially inverted position, said cradle being adapted to receive a can in said first mentioned position and to discharge said can in said inverted position.

5. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cover receiving member, an element pivotally mounted on said member and adapted when pivotally moved to effect the movement of a cover con tained within said member, an elevated guideway, means for elevating said member to said "uideway and means for pivotally moving said element to propel said cover into said guideway.

4. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cover receiving member, a guideway, means pivotally con-" nected to said member for moving the same to said guideway, and means for preventing said member from moving about its pivot during its movement to said guideway.

5. in a delivery mechanismof the class described, the combination of a cover receiving member, an elevated guideway, means pivotally connected to said member for elevating the same to said guideway, and means for preventing said member from moving about its pivot during its movement to said guideway, said means including a bar extending alongthe path of movement of said member and loosely connected to it. i

6. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cover receiving member, an elevated guideway, means pivotally,connected to said member for elevating the same to said guideway, a bar extending along the path of movement of said member to said guideway, and an element slidably mounted on said bar and pivotally connected to said member, said bar bein ar ranged to prevent during the movement of said member relative movement between the pivotal connections afforded by said elevating means and said element respectively with said member. i

7. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a coverreceiving member, an element pivotally mounted on said member and adapted when pivotally moved to effect the discharge of acover contained within said member, an elevated guideway,1neans,pivotally connected to salt member for moving the same to said guideway, means for preventing said member from moving about its pivot during its movement to said guideway, and means for pivotally moving said element when said member reaches said guideway to propel said cover into said guideway.

8. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle mounted "for angular movement between two positions in one of which it is adapted to receive a can and in the other of which it is adapted to dfscharge the can in a position reverse to that in which it'was received, a cover receiving member arranged for movement by said cradle to receive a cover at one level and discharge the same at a higher level into a guideway from which it may be discharged upon a can to close the mouth of the same, and means for moving said cradle and said member.

9. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle mounted for angular movement between two positions in one of which it is adapted to receive a can and in the other of which it is adapted o discharge the can in a position reverse to that in which it as receive means for angularly moving said cradle and a cover receiving member connected to said cradle for movement between cove receiving and discharging positions, said cover receiving member being adapted to receive a cover at one level and discharge it at a higher level into a guideway from which it may be discharged upon a can to close the mouth of the same.

10. In a delivery mechanism oi the class described, the combination of cradle mounted for angular movement. between two positions in one of which it adapted to re ceive a can and in the other of which it is adapted to discharge the can in a position reverse to that in which it was received, means for angularly moving said cradle and a cover receiving member connected to said cradle for movement between a cover receiving position and a relatively elevated cover discharging position. 7

11. In a delivery mechanism of the lass described, the combination or" a cradle mounted for angular n'lovoment between two 'positions in one of which it is adapted to reccive a can and in the other of which it is adapted to discharge the can in a position re" verse to that in which it was received, means for angnlarly moving said cradle, a cover receiving member connected to said cradle for movement between a cover receiving position and a relatively elevated cover discharging position and means carried by said cover receiving member for propelling the cover therefrom when the discharging position is reached.

12. In a delivery mechanism of the class described. the con'ihination of a cradle mounted for angnlar movement between tw positions in one of which it is adapted to receive a can and in the other of which it is adapted to discharge be can in a position reverse to that in which it was received, means for an gularly moving said cra dle, a cover receiving member connected to said cradle for move ment between a cover receiving position and a. relatively elevated cover discharging position, and an elevated guideway positioned to receive the cover discharged by said me i ber.

13. In a delivery mechanism of the class des ribed. the combination of a cradle mounted for angular movement between two positions in one of which it is adapted to receive a can and in the other of which it is adapted to discharge the can in aposition reverse to that in which it was received, means for angularly moving said cradle, a cover receiving member ,pivotally carried byv said cradle for movement between a cover receiving position and a relatively elevated cover being curved so as to turn the cradle from one position in which it is adapted to receive a can to a substantially inverted position in which it is adapted to discharge the can, a cover receiving member arranged for movement with said cradle between a cover receiving position and a relatively elevated cover discharging position, and means for effecting the discharge of a cover from said member when the discharging position is reached.

15. In a delivery mechanism of the class d cscribed, the combination of a cradle, curved tr ck rays, means connecting said cradle to said trachways for movement along the same, means for moving said cradle, said trackways being curved so as to turn the cradle from one position in which it adapted to receive a can to a substantially inverted position in which it is adapted to discharge the can, a cover receiving member arranged for movement with said cradle between a cover receiving position and a relatively eleated cover discharging position, an element pivotally' mounted on said member and adapted when pivotally moved to effect the discharging movement of a cover carried by said member, an elevated guideway posiioned to receive a discharged cover and loans for pivotally moving said element when the cover discharging position is reached.

16. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle arranged for an ular movement from one poin sition in which it is adapted to receive an inverted can another position in which it is adapted to discharge the can in an upright position, a cover receiving member arranged for movement from one position in which it is adapted to receive a cover to another position in which it is adapted to discharge said cover. a guideway elevated relatively to the position of a discharged can and positioned to receive a cover discharged by said member, said guideway being adapted to discharge a cover in advance of the discharged position of a can, means for moving said cradle and said member to their respective discharge positions and for moving the discharged can to a position Where it will receive the cover when discharged by said guideway.

17. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle arit I ranged for movement to receive an inverted can and to discharge said can in an upright position, a guideway elevated relatively to the, position of a discharged can, a cover receiving member arranged for movement with said cradle to receive a cover for said can and to dischargesaid cover into said guideWay, said guideway being adapted to discharge the cover in advance of the discharged position of said upright can, means for moving said cradle and said members simultaneously between receiving and discharging positions, and means for moving said-upright canto the cover discharging position of said guideway during the return movement of said cradle and said member to their receiving positions.

'18. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cradle arranged for movement to receive an inverted can and to discharge said can in an uprigh position, a guideway elevated relatively to the position of a discharged can, a cover receiving member arranged for movement with said cradle to receive a cover for said can and to discharge said cover into said guideway, said guideway being adapted to discharge the cover in advance of the discharged position of said upright can, means for preventing the discharge of said cover from said guideway, means for moving said upright can to the cover discharging position of said guideway and means for rendering said preventing means inoperative upon the movement of said upright can to the cover discharging position of said guideway.

19, In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a support, a cradle adapted to receive an inverted can, a member adapted to receive cover for said can beneath the level of the mouth of the can when in upright position, an elevated guideway, means for angularly moving said cradle to discharge said can in an. upright position upon said support and for moving said member to raise and discharge said,

cover into said guideway, said guideway being arranged to direct said cover over said support and to discharge it in advance of the discharged position of said upright can. and means for moving said upright can along said support to a position at which it will. receive the cover discharged from said guideway. I

20. In a delivery mechanism of the class described, the combination of a support, a cradle adapted to receive an inverted can, a member adapted to receive a cover for said can, an elevated guideway, means for angularly moving said cradle to discharge said can in an upright position upon said support and for moving said member to discharge said cover into said guideway, said guideway being arranged to direct said cover over said support and to discharge it in advance 21. In a delivery mechanism for can washing machines and the like, a cradle, relative-- ly fixed guide means acting upon opposite end portions of said cradle to mount said cradle for oscillation between one position in which it receives a can, and another position in which the can is reversed, and means for oscillating said cradle. 1

22. In a delivery mechanism for can washing machines and the like, a cradle, an arcuate roller guide for the opposite ends of said cradle, whereby said cradle may be oscillated approximately end for end, and means for oscillating said cradle between one position in which it receives a-can or the like, and another position in which the can is reversed.- 23. In a delivery mechanismfor can washing machines and the like, a guide along which can covers may travel 1n succession, a gate normally obstructing travel of said covers along said guide, and means for recipro eating said gate in a direction crosswise of the direction of travel of said covers along said guide, to release said covers for continued movement along said guide.

24. In a delivery mechanism for can wash ing machines and the like, a cradle, means mounting said cradle for oscillation-in a manner to reverse a can received therein, a guide upon which the reversed can may be discharged from said cradle, means for positively propelling along said guide the cans received from said cradle, means connecting said propelling means and said cradle for causing a return oscillation of'said cradle into can receiving position while the can discharged on said guide by said cradle is propelled along said guide away from said cradle, a track along which can covers may travel in succession into positions over said guide, and means operated by saidpropelling means for controlling the discharge of said covers from said track in synchronized relation to the movement of the cans along saidguide.

. In a delivery mechanism for can wash-' ing machines and the like, a cradle, means mounting said cradle for oscillation in a manner to reverse a can received therein, a guide upon which the reversed can may be discharged from said cradle, means for positively propelling along said guide the cans received from said cradle, means connecting said propelling means and said cradle for causing a return oscillation of said cradle into can receiving position while the can discharged on said guide by said cradle is propelled along said guide away from said cradle, a track along which can covers may travel in succession into positions over said guide, a gate disposed in a position to obstruct the travel of the covers along said track over said guide, and means operated by said can propelling means for moving said gate into an inoperative position in which it releases a cover, whose travel has been obstructed, for further travel and descent upon any can that may be propelled along said guide.

26. In a delivery mechanism for can washing machines and the like, a cradle, means mounting said cradle for oscillation in a manner to reverse a can received therein, a. guide upon which the reversed can may be discharged from said cradle, means for positively propelling along said guide the cans received from said cradle means connecting said propelling means and said cradle for causing a return oscillation of said cradle into can reeciving position while the can discharged on said guide by said cradle is propelled along said guide away from said cradle, a support along which can covers may travel in succession into a position overrsaid guide, a gate obstructing travel of the covers along said track, means for reciprocating said gate into an inoperative position in "which the first obstructed cover is released,

and means controlled by said can propelling means for operating said reciprocating means into inoperative position, whereby the released cover may continue its travel and fall upon a can being propelled along said guide.

27. In a delivery mechanism for can washing machines and the like, a cradle, means mounting said cradle for oscillation from one approximately upright position in which it may receive a can, and a second approxiimately upright position in which the can is reversed, a guide upon which a reversed can may be discharged from said cradle when said cradle is in said second position, re-,

ciprocating means for positively propelling fsaid can from said cradle along said guide,

a link pivotally connected to said reciprocating means and to said cradle, whereby said cradle will be returned from said second position to the first position while the can is ,ibeing propelled along said guide, a track along which can covers may travel in succession into a position over said guide, and a gate controlled by said reciprocating propelling means for releasing said covers to descend toward said guide in syncronized relation to the travel of said reciprocating propelling means;

28. In a delivery mechanism for can washing machines and the like, a cradle, means mounting said cradle for oscillation from one appror-iimatelyupright position in which it may receive a can, and a second approxi mately upright position in which the can is reversed, a guide upon which a reversed can may be discharged from said cradle when said cradle is in said second position, reciprocating means for positively propelling said can from said cradle along said guide, means for operating said reciprocating means to propel a can from said cradle forwardly and also for co currently oscillating said cradle from said second position to the first position where it may receive a now can, a track along which can covers may travel into a position over the path of travel of cans along said guide, a gate obstructing movement of said covers along said track, and means operating by said reciprocating propelling means for reciprocating said gate between obstructing position and cover rel-easing position, whereby said covers will be released in synchronized relation to the operation of said can propelling means.

29. In a delivery mechanism for can washing i'nachines and the like, a cradle, means mounting said cradle about oscillation from one approximately upright position in which it may receive a can, and a second approximately upright position in which the can is reversed, a guide upon which a reversed can may be discharged from said cradle when said cradle is in said second position, reciprocating means for positively propelling said can from said cradle along said guide, means for operating saidreciprocating means to propel a can from said cradle forwardly and also for concurrently oscillating said cradle from said second position to the first position where it may receive a new can, a track along which can covers may travel into a position over the path of travel of cans along said guide, a gate obstructing movement of said co -rers along said track, and means operated by said can propelling means for reciprocating said gate in a direction crosswise of the direction of travel of said covers, to release said covers in synchronized relation to the operation of said can propelling means.

In testimony whereof I hereby a'l'lix my signature.

CHARLES M. SPERAZZ. 

